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Tuesday, 09 Jan 07
Enjoying a day of freeskiing. Photo by Gabe Rogel
Yesterday was the best freeskiing day I have had in Jackson Hole, not because the snow was deep or it was storming and more snow was on the way. It was because I felt free. In September, I gave up a cubical reporting job to be a ski instructor, freeskier, and writer, and it was the best decision I ever made.
The day began when my friend Heather Tattersall met me at my house. Once we got to the hill, our plan was to ski till our legs fell off. We began by taking three perfect laps off of Casper chairlift through the Moran Woods – untracked tree skiing. It was beautiful.
Then the day just got better. We met up with a mutual girlfriend, A.J. Cargill, and her patroller friend Chessa. A.J., a former extreme skier and the first woman to telemark the Grand Teton, was dressed in hot pink pants and a fur-hooded jacket. Chessa had a full camo suit on, but she wasn’t ready for hard-packed mogul warfare. She was ready to do some hardcore freeskiing in 6 inches of new powder.
A.J. is the instructor for the town’s preseason ski fitness classes. Needless to say, following her around was a challenge, but we ripped the mountain to shreds. It was like playing a game of cat and mouse. Heather and I chased the two colorful skiers down the Hobacks, through trees, and in the whiteout conditions of Rendezvous Bowl.
As we went, we continued to run into more friends like Charlotte Moats and Lynsey Dyer. By the end of the day, our posse had grown to 8 or 10, usually an annoying amount of people. But we gelled perfectly. No waiting, all charging.
We weren’t competitive even though our group was filled with pro skiers, patrollers, and ski instructors. As A.J. said, “It was just about skiing today.” We talked about hair appointments, parties, and where we’ve been and where we are going on the chairlifts. It was simple and serene, just a bunch of friends and new friends spending the day skiing. We were freeskiing.
It was perfect; it was beautiful; and I was free.
Freeskiing Chronicles No. 1
Comment on this Post The term "freeskiers" is another way to describe "big-mountain" skiers, but the word describes all of us, whether gapers, racers, beginners, or experts. We are all freeskiers: we ski because it is a way to be free. While freesking, we aren’t confined to race gates, work obligations, phone calls, illness – only the skis beneath our feet.
Enjoying a day of freeskiing. Photo by Gabe Rogel
Yesterday was the best freeskiing day I have had in Jackson Hole, not because the snow was deep or it was storming and more snow was on the way. It was because I felt free. In September, I gave up a cubical reporting job to be a ski instructor, freeskier, and writer, and it was the best decision I ever made.
The day began when my friend Heather Tattersall met me at my house. Once we got to the hill, our plan was to ski till our legs fell off. We began by taking three perfect laps off of Casper chairlift through the Moran Woods – untracked tree skiing. It was beautiful.
Then the day just got better. We met up with a mutual girlfriend, A.J. Cargill, and her patroller friend Chessa. A.J., a former extreme skier and the first woman to telemark the Grand Teton, was dressed in hot pink pants and a fur-hooded jacket. Chessa had a full camo suit on, but she wasn’t ready for hard-packed mogul warfare. She was ready to do some hardcore freeskiing in 6 inches of new powder.
A.J. is the instructor for the town’s preseason ski fitness classes. Needless to say, following her around was a challenge, but we ripped the mountain to shreds. It was like playing a game of cat and mouse. Heather and I chased the two colorful skiers down the Hobacks, through trees, and in the whiteout conditions of Rendezvous Bowl.
As we went, we continued to run into more friends like Charlotte Moats and Lynsey Dyer. By the end of the day, our posse had grown to 8 or 10, usually an annoying amount of people. But we gelled perfectly. No waiting, all charging.
We weren’t competitive even though our group was filled with pro skiers, patrollers, and ski instructors. As A.J. said, “It was just about skiing today.” We talked about hair appointments, parties, and where we’ve been and where we are going on the chairlifts. It was simple and serene, just a bunch of friends and new friends spending the day skiing. We were freeskiing.
It was perfect; it was beautiful; and I was free.
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